allonlinenovel Chapter 721: Retreat from the Decision
Chapter 721: Retreat from the Decision
As the news that two elite infantry regiments of the Zentsu Division were almost wiped out in Ishida Town reached the headquarters like a bolt from the blue, the entire Fuso army was shrouded in shock and frustration.
In the barracks, morale was at its lowest point. The soldiers' eyes had lost their former sharpness, replaced by fear and confusion about their unknown fate. The officers frowned, and the atmosphere in the conference room was so heavy that it almost froze. Every breath seemed to echo with failure.
Division Commander Jin Zejun stood in the makeshift command post, with continuous rain outside the window, as if even the sky was mourning for the tragic defeat. He stared at Shitian Town on the map, which had now become an insurmountable gap, clearly dividing the hope of rescue from despair.
Commander Tokugawa Mitsuka stood aside, his face pale, his hands clenched into fists, trying hard to suppress his inner anger and unwillingness.
"Tokugawa-kun, we must face reality." Jin Zejun's voice was low and powerful, breaking the silence in the room. "The Northwest Army of China has demonstrated unimaginable combat effectiveness here. They not only occupy advantageous terrain, but also have firm will and excellent command. Although our soldiers are brave, under such conditions, continuing to attack blindly will only result in more lives being sacrificed in vain."
Hearing this, Tokugawa Mitsuka's eyes turned red, but he knew that what Jin Zejun said was true. He took a deep breath, tried to calm down, and nodded slowly: "Sir, I understand what you mean. It's just that those friendly troops trapped in southern Kyushu, they..."
"I understand your concerns, Tokugawa-kun." Jin Zejun interrupted him, with a complex emotion in his eyes, "But war is cruel, and sometimes we have to make difficult choices. Giving up rescue does not mean that we give up on them, but to better preserve our strength and prepare for future counterattacks. If we exhaust all our strength here, the entire battle situation will become passive."
Afterwards, Jin Zejun elaborated on his strategic considerations: withdraw troops to Kashima City, relying on the city's solid fortifications and sufficient material reserves to build an indestructible line of defense. This will not only effectively resist the northward offensive of the Northwest Army of China, but also buy precious time and space for subsequent military operations. At the same time, he also plans to send small units to conduct guerrilla warfare, harass and contain the enemy, so as to reduce the pressure on the front battlefield of Kashima City.
Tokugawa Mitsuka stood in the dim communication room, surrounded by the ticking sound of the telegraph machine, which intertwined with the sound of rain outside the window into a heavy war song. His face was full of solemnity, and he held the telegram about the disastrous defeat in Ishida Town tightly in his hand. His heart was like a surging wave, and it took a long time to calm down.
After a long period of contemplation and weighing the pros and cons, Tokugawa Mitsuka finally made a decision. He knew that continuing to rescue blindly would not only cause endless consumption of precious troops, but would also likely put the entire battle situation into an irreversible situation. The annihilation of the two main infantry regiments of the Zentsu Division was like a long-lasting alarm bell, reminding him that he must make a rational choice.
He slowly walked to the telegraph machine, tapped the keyboard with his fingers, and began to write a telegram to the direct supreme commander Yamamoto Ryuka. Every word was carefully considered, and every sentence carried his deep understanding of the war situation and deep expectations for the future. He clearly explained the current predicament, the impracticability of rescue, and the strategic concept of retreating to Kashima City to build a new defense line.
After the telegram was sent, Tokugawa Mitsuka waited anxiously for a reply. He knew that this time was crucial to the entire war situation, and every second of waiting could mean more variables. However, to his surprise, not long after, the telegraph machine received a reply from Yamamoto Ryuka.
The content of Yamamoto Ryuka's reply was cautious and strategic after careful consideration. The words in the telegram revealed a delicate balance, neither issuing direct orders nor completely letting go, but cleverly returning the decision-making power to Tokugawa Mitsuka in an ambiguous way, while not forgetting to hint at possible courses of action.
"Tokugawa-kun, I have received your detailed report. I share the same feeling about the severity of the situation. The outcome of the battle at Ishida Town is heartbreaking and serves as a warning to us. We all want to rescue the Changfeng and Xiangchun divisions, but war is unpredictable and we must put the overall situation first.
You are now ordered to take full charge of the operations of the Mingzhao and Shantong divisions. You need to weigh the pros and cons and think carefully. If the road to rescue is too difficult and the chances of success are slim, you may consider retreating to Kashima City, consolidating the defense line, and waiting for the right time and place.
However, you must also remember that the safety of our allies is also our responsibility. You must make your decision based on the latest intelligence from the front and be flexible. My trust in you is as firm as a rock. I hope you will live up to my trust and act prudently for the sake of the overall situation and the lives of our soldiers. "
In this reply, Yamamoto Ryuka first expressed his importance to Tokugawa Mizuka's report and his deep understanding of the current situation. He did not directly instruct Tokugawa Mizuka to give up the rescue, but by stating that "the overall situation should be given priority", he left Tokugawa with a certain amount of independent decision-making space. At the same time, he mentioned that "if the road to continue the rescue is too difficult and the chances of success are slim", which actually implied that Tokugawa Mizuka could consider giving up the rescue option.
After receiving the call back from Yamamoto Ryuka, Tokugawa Mitsuka's frown finally relaxed, as if a huge stone had been lifted from his heart. He knew very well that this decision was not only the most rational judgment of the current war situation, but also the responsibility for the lives of all soldiers. He took a deep breath, turned around and strode out of the communication room, ready to convey this important order to all officers and soldiers.
Soon, officers of all levels of the Meisho and Zentsu divisions were urgently summoned to a spacious barracks. The air was filled with a tense yet slightly relieved atmosphere, and everyone knew that this would be a critical moment that would determine their future fate. Tokugawa Mitsuka stood in the center of the room, looking around, his eyes revealing an unquestionable determination.
"Everyone," he said in a deep voice. Although his voice was not loud, it was enough to penetrate everyone's heart. "We just received a call back from General Yamamoto Ryuka. After careful consideration, we decided to give up rescuing the Changfeng and Xiangchun divisions in southern Kyushu and return to Kashima City to build a new line of defense."
After these words were spoken, there was a brief silence in the room, followed by a slight commotion. The officers exchanged complicated looks, some were surprised, and some were relieved. They all had a personal experience of the fierce firepower of the Northwest Army of China, which was like a nightmare. The sound of the cloth ripping machine resounding through the battlefield and the overwhelming artillery shells reminded them of the strength of the Northwest Army and the ruthlessness of war.
"I know this decision may be difficult for everyone to accept." Tokugawa Mitsuka continued, his tone full of understanding and sympathy, "But please believe that this is the wisest choice based on the current war situation. We can't let more soldiers sacrifice in vain, nor can we let the entire war situation fall into a more passive position because of our impulsiveness."
He paused, his eyes deep: "Our mission is to hold the southern defense line of the Fukuoka area. Retreat does not mean giving up, but for a better counterattack. In Kashima City, we will use the city's solid defenses and sufficient material reserves to build an indestructible defense line. Wait for the moment to give the enemy a fatal blow."